Project Lab

Overview

The Project Lab gives students and staff a dedicated space for project work. Workstations loaded with design, analysis and simulation software support every stage, from 3D modelling and simulation to system design and reporting.

Close links with the fitting, sheet-metal, welding and machine shops mean designs can be fabricated and tested on site, and students from computer, electronics and electrical programmes can use the same facilities to build the mechanical parts of their projects.

Facilities and Equipment

Software on each workstation

• Creo (Pro/ENGINEER) and AutoCAD – mechanical and architectural design
• MATLAB – computation and algorithm development
• Arena – process simulation and decision models
• ANSYS – structural and thermal finite-element analysis
• Onshape – cloud-based collaborative CAD

Facilities

• High-performance workstations – for modelling, simulation and analysis
• Laser printer – printing drawings and reports
• Wi-Fi and internet access – research and online collaboration
• Access to the mechanical workshops and labs – fabrication and testing of prototypes
• Archive of previous project reports – literature survey and reference

Learning Objectives

By the end of the training, learners will be able to:

• Plan a project and manage it through design, analysis, fabrication and testing.
• Choose and use suitable software for modelling, simulation and analysis.
• Turn a design into a working prototype using the workshops.
• Document and present project results professionally.

Career Relevance

Project experience builds the practical, managerial and teamwork skills employers look for.